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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Tuesday Tropes: You Can See Me?

Some things are not always as they seem. The same could be said about people or other things that breath, or things that are no longer alive. While it may be a surprise when someone discovers the truth, it's just as shocking to those that no one else is able to see.

You Can See Me? - A basic reaction by a character who is invisible or caught in some kind of magical disguise when another character is able to perceive them.

This trope is a staple among ghost stories, altered sometimes by the ghosts knowing that certain people can see them, making them ghost magnets. Ghost Town (above) and The Sixth Sense are prime examples.

"Yeah. Dead people. You heard me!"

If a character doesn't know they're a ghost, that makes things awkward for tenants who rent their apartment.

"I like your hair ..." "I like your ectoplasm ..."

In the novel (and film) The Last Unicorn, after the creature transformers into a woman, the twisted King Haggard is able to discern what she really is.

(Someone make a live-action film, please?)

How about the spooky ringwraiths? They see invisible Frodo. Frodo, in turn, sees them as something else!

"Take the ring first, then stab him!"

It's pretty much inevitable for a character to say this when their identity is compromised. Though you have to admit, the question is a little silly. If someone asked you that, you'd more likely say, "I think you should see a psychiatrist." This makes the trope more or less a comical rather than a dramatic element in a scene.

And yes - I admit to having used this one.

Ever used this trope before? What examples did I miss? Ever see something that no one else could?

Aw, David - now I'm going to be freaking out about a spider on me all day long! *shiver* I like this Trope. I especially like the movie, Just Like Heaven, (or whatever its called.) Yeah - no sleep last night. Gotta love the Sixth Sense & Lord of the Rings too.

Movies and books don't surprise me very often. I'm the annoying one whispering what I think the ending is during a movie (and I'm usually right lol) Anyway, the Sixth Sense smashed me over the head with their ending and I LOVED it. The other way you have it can be funny. I haven't used this myself though.

Spinning this on it's head, I think that you can really have some fun with the person who sees the ghost/disguised/cloaked entity. Especially if it's an unexpected person. Last night on Syfy's 'Being Human' they had the ghost character run into a nurse who could see her. Total surprise, but it introduced an interesting side-character. It's always fun (for the reader/audience) when an unexpected person can see the hidden character.

Spiders? Where? I hate spiders crawling through our van when we're driving down a rock with rock walls on both sides and the spider wants to sit on the gear knob. Yes, after that I have developed a terrible fear of spiders.

On to the trope. To tell the truth, I haven't used this one. I didn't even know it was a trope. it does seem a bit funny though doesn't it, I mean one guy's talking to the invisible guy, and all the invisible dude can say is 'You can see me?' Well duh! Huge comedy moment.

Another awesome trope example! I also like the flip side of it, where apprentice magicians are trying to scry the bad guy or something, and the villain *gasp* realizes they're watching him. Classic. ;)

We have a ghost baby at our house. I can't see him, but I hear him crying all the time. Actually, I think it might be birds nesting in a tree outside but it sounds EXACTLY like a baby crying and it's kinda cool to say we have a ghost baby.

Invisibility is the cheapest of the special effects. Hollywood is embracing this full force by cutting budgets in "The Darkest Hour" and "Chronicle" to increase profits. They do the whole "found footage" filmography to make it more "authentic". It's really just being a cheapass.

But I hear what you're saying. Invisibility is kinda cool. I for one use invisible demons in one of my stories. It eliminates the need to describe them.

The book I'm querying right now is about a girl who's in love with a voice in her head... I'm way into this type of thing. Verrrrry fun post ;) And ditto to the spider on the shoulder thing! (I've enjoyed all these comments) ;)

I haven't tried this one. It's true that it can be comical, but it's always interesting when questions are raised about the character who does see whatever it is that's invisible to others--is s/he observing something real or is s/he just hallucinating?

YA Paranormal Fantasy

Welcome to The Cosmic Laire, the official site of fantasy and science fiction author, David Powers King. David's works include WOVEN, THE UNDEAD ROAD, and FULL DARK: AN ANTHOLOGY. He currently resides in the Mountain West with his wife and 4 children. Click About to learn more.